Let's jump back into the time machine and look back at a moment most Philadelphia Eagles fans would like to forget: the year after the team won their first Super Bowl ever.
Former Eagles wide receiver Golden Tate appeared on the Bussin' With The Boys podcast, where he discussed some aspects of his career, including his very short time in Philadelphia. Eagles fans try to forget what has since been described as one of the worst trades in the last 10 years. The Detroit Lions traded Tate to the Eagles in exchange for a third-round pick.
Tate played eight regular-season games in Philadelphia, making 30 catches for 278 yards and one touchdown. His shining moment though was catching the game-winning touchdown with over a minute in the NFC Wild Card game against the Chicago Bears.
Although his time was brief and fleeting, Tate still has memories of his few months in Philadelphia. The standout moment? His quarterbacks, Carson Wentz and Nick Foles, had an awkward relationship that caused problems in the locker room.
Starting the conversation, Tate had described Wentz and Foles' relationship as they "tolerated" each other, but "were not best buds." That matches the descriptions given about their working relationship over the last few years.
Tate continued to talk about how Wentz would handle games when they ended versus Foles' demeanor.
"You know you had Carson who was after a good game he's reading to see what they were saying, but after a bad game, he's reading to see people absolutely s**t on him. I would walk up to him on the bus and I would see him like (slouch) to himself and I'm like 'bro it's alright bro. Like just bounce back.' And you have Foles who was like coming into the locker room. He spoke with everybody. I wouldn't get a single pass the entire game, but in the fourth quarter, he would make me think it was still coming. 'Hey Golden, stay ready, stay ready. I'm coming to you.'"
Tate has said that he was a part of Wentz's small group of teammates, as he felt that Wentz was particular about who he hung out with.
"I was apart of Carson's clique but it felt like with Carson, he had his four to five, six guys, offense, defense that he liked and he hung with and that was all that mattered. Right? Everyone else it felt like 'bro do you want to hang out with me or have a relationship, have lunch, dinner? Can we do something together?' That's just kind of the feel."
The relationship between Wentz and Foles was always tense, as after Wentz tore his ACL in 2017, Foles finished the season and led the Eagles to their first-ever Super Bowl. In 2018, Wentz was hurt again, and Foles came to the rescue and led the franchise to the NFC Divisional Round game.
Foles would depart after the season to the Jacksonville Jaguars, and Wentz would only be the starter for two more years before Jalen Hurts took over the job late in 2020. Neither guy has been able to perform better since that time, and both are currently out of the NFL.
At the time, there were split opinions about whether Wentz or Foles was the right guy for the quarterback job. Ultimately, it was a wash with both guys struggling through the rest of their careers.
It worked out for the Eagles, as Hurts ended up taking the team to two Super Bowls and winning one; that quarterback controversy was drama-filled at the time. It's now a distant memory for Philly fans, who would like to move on from it.
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Shortly after former Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback and current college football analyst Greg McElroy shared that someone "in the know" believes there's a possibility Nick Saban — who retired in January 2024 — might return to coaching, NFL insider Albert Breer suggested that the Dallas Cowboys could be a potential destination for the seven-time national champion. According to Mike Rodak of 247Sports, Saban was asked during a Friday appearance on Fox News if he intends to come out of retirement. "No, I'm really happy with what I'm doing right now," Saban responded. "It's exciting to still be involved in the game. It's exciting for me to work with athletic directors, conference commissioners, people in Congress to preserve the integrity of our game and continue to be able to create opportunities to help young people create value for their future that will help them be successful in their life, which is what we always try to do as a coach." Saban, now working as an ESPN analyst, will be 74 in October. Per Christian Datoc of the Washington Examiner, President Donald Trump could consider having Saban "lead a new commission examining problems arising with the growth of name, image, and likeness (NIL) rights and coinciding changes to the NCAA transfer process." Meanwhile, it's thought that Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones could look to hire a big-name candidate if first-year head coach Brian Schottenheimer fails to impress during the 2025 campaign. Additionally, Fox Sports personality Colin Cowherd recently hinted that Saban could be interested in becoming the head coach of the Cleveland Browns if the team selects Texas quarterback Arch Manning as the first pick in the 2026 draft. "There is no opportunity that I know of right now that would enhance me to go back to coaching," Saban added during Friday's segment. "I enjoy what I'm doing. I did it for 50 years. I loved it. I loved the relationships with the players. I loved the competition. But it's another station of life now. I enjoy what I'm doing right now and want to continue to do it — spend more time with my family, my grandchildren, my children. It's been really, really good." The "right now" portion of Saban's comments attracted the attention of Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio, who was quick to point out he did not say "no for good" regarding a return to coaching. In short, it seems that rumors about Saban's future could hover over the college and pro football communities through at least the rest of the year.
After years of speculation and nothing materializing, the New York Yankees have at last acquired third baseman Ryan McMahon from the Colorado Rockies, per the New York Post's Jon Heyman. Pitching prospects Griffin Herring and Josh Grosz are headed to the Mile High City in return. They were the number eight and 21st-ranked prospects in the Yankees' farm system, per MLB.com. Given the Yankees' struggles at the third-base position over the last few years, bringing in a guy who was an All-Star in 2024 and will be much more reliable is a win. Former MLB player and current analyst Cameron Maybin certainly believes that, as he was pushing the McMahon-to-New York narrative over the last week and feels it could be a great fit for both sides. "The third baseman they need plays in Colorado...I'm telling you! Defensively more than adequate and Taylor made for the ballpark offensively," Maybin wrote on social media. Maybin went on to mention how McMahon will feel reinvigorated joining a World Series contender like the Yankees after the last six-and-a-half years of being at the bottom in Colorado. The 30-year-old is not having his best season, slugging 16 home runs and 35 RBI with a .217 average through 100 games with the Rockies, per MLB.com stats. However, he's consistently been a 20-plus home run hitter who drives in runs at a strong rate and has a large sample size of doing so. Arizona Diamondbacks third baseman Eugenio Suarez (.252 average, 36 HRs, 86 RBI) has seemed to be No. 1 target for most teams, and for good reason, but given the Yankees' current situation and weaknesses, McMahon made more sense. Not only does he play a better third base, which New York desperately needs, but he has another two years of control after 2025, whereas Suarez would have been a rental. The acquisition cost was nothing crazy, and adding a lefty bat with some power to potentially take advantage of the short porch at Yankee Stadium is always a bonus. Some may not be satisfied until they see McMahon positively impacting the New York Yankees, but rest assured, this is a very solid pickup.
The Boston Celtics recently traded away a first-round draft pick, who ultimately became one of the best players in the league. The Celtics held the No. 30 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, but instead of taking a player, the team opted to trade the pick, along with forward Enes Freedom's salary, to the Memphis Grizzlies in a contract dump situation. The Grizzlies chose shooting guard Desmond Bane with the pick, who established himself as one of the best players at his position in the league. More news:Former Celtics Forward Says His Injuries Are the Reason Jayson Tatum Became Superstar in Boston Although he's a bit undersized for a two guard, Bane provides rare two-way value on both ends of the court. On the Celtics, he could have flourished, but it never materialized. According to ESPN's Zach Kram, the trade has aged poorly, to the point where it could be one of the worst moves that the team has made since 2020. "This was a reasonable move at the time: The Celtics didn't have room on their roster for another young player, and trading Bane's draft rights allowed them to shed Enes Freedom's salary," Kram wrote. "Nobody expected the No. 30 pick to develop into the sort of player who'd one day command four first-round picks in a trade," Kram added. This summer, Bane was flipped to the Orlando Magic, where he figures to provide a massive upgrade to the team's backcourt shooting and scoring. "But Bane did, and Boston certainly could have used him over the past half-decade," Kram noted. "A solid defender for his position and career 41% 3-point shooter, Bane would have been a perfect fit in the Celtics' system." More news: Celtics Urged to Sign Former All-Star in Major Free Agent Move While Bane would have ended up on a big contract down the line, he fits the mold of the ideal Celtics player, providing consistent shooting at a high volume with impressive perimeter defense. He offers similar value as Derrick White, though he is younger and has much more basketball left in his career. While the Celtics could use Bane, the team still ended up winning the 2024 NBA championship and looks poised to challenge for a title for the next decade. More news: Celtics Could Trade $45 Million Guard in Major Roster Shakeup: Report For more news and notes on the Boston Celtics, visit Boston Celtics on SI.
The New York Yankees didn't come into the season with the strongest third base situation, and it only got worse over time. They converted traditional second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. to the hot corner after getting him at the Trade Deadline last season and installed a timeshare with him, DJ LeMahieu, Oswald Peraza, and Oswaldo Cabrera there in 2025. However, the latter player broke his ankle on May 12, and the Yankees released the now 37-year-old LeMahieu on July 10. Chisholm was primarily back at second at that point, so this left Peraza and Jorbit Vivas as their only true remaining third basemen. With Peraza hitting .147 and Vivas hitting .164, it was clear what the team's biggest need was. That's why it acquired veteran third baseman Ryan McMahon from the Colorado Rockies on Friday. New York manager Aaron Boone gave his thoughts about the 30-year-old before Friday's bout with the Philadelphia Phillies, via SNY. "I know there's real offensive potential there. I know he's had real offensive success, as well as some struggles there over the last calendar year or two," he said. "It seems like over the last month he's really started swinging the bat like he's capable of. He can impact the ball, he can control the strike zone, he's had some swing-and-misses that have probably hurt him a little bit." "But then he can really defend over there," he continued. "The handful of times that we've played against them that I watch him, you're like, 'That's what it should look like over there.' He moves really well and has that prototypical good third base thing." McMahon is slashing .217/.314/.403 with 16 homers and 35 RBI over 100 games this season. He also has a .978 fielding percentage and six errors. Right-handed pitcher Will Warren (6-5, 4.91 ERA) will start for the Yankees against Phillies right-hander Taijuan Walker (3-5, 3.75 ERA) on Friday.